Tulfo’s fate hangs in the balance
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed Undersecretary Eduardo Punay as officer-in-charge of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
The Palace, however, remained mum on the status of DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo, whose ad interim appointment was bypassed by the Commission on Appointments before Congress went on recess earlier this month.
The CA deferred the deliberations on the ad interim appointment of Tulfo as they raised the issues on the latter’s American citizenship and his conviction on four counts of libel.
“An announcement on Sec. Tulfo will be made soon,” Office of the Press Secretary OIC Cheloy Garafil said when asked whether Tulfo resigned, was let go by the President, or will eventually be reappointed.
On the citizenship issue, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said Tulfo confirmed he was using an American passport until 2021. He was reported to have served in the US Army from 1988 to 1992.
Tulfo would need to show the CA panel additional documents such as a certification that he is no longer an American citizen, Zubiri said.
A source in the department said Tulfo’s appointment as DSWD chief was only until Dec. 15.
During a gift-giving event of the DSWD at the Open Amphitheater at the Rizal Park in Manila on Dec. 22 attended by the President, it was already Punay who spearheaded the event.
“Our task is clear: to pursue the reforms and programs initiated by the administration of President Bongbong Marcos for the benefit of the poor, vulnerable and disadvantaged in a proactive and inclusive manner,” Punay said in a statement yesterday.
The DSWD welcomed the designation of Punay as its OIC.
“This is needed to ensure the continuous operations of the agency and that no activities will be derailed or hampered, especially now that we need to provide assistance to those affected by the weather disturbance in the country,” the department said in a statement.
Tulfo’s brother, veteran journalist Ramon Tulfo, earlier discouraged him from pursuing his appointment under the Marcos administration.
“Give up your post as secretary of the DSWD. There is no reason for you to stay longer in your place…If they don’t appreciate what you’ve been doing at the DSWD, why stick to your post like a ship barnacle?” said Ramon in his Facebook account—in a mix of English, Cebuano, and Tagalog.